Jury to deliberate in Gilbert’s murder case

By Terresa McCall
Reporter-SKNVibes.com

~~Adz:Right~~BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – THE jury empanelled to try the four men accused of conspiring to murder and murdering Gavin ‘Magilla’ Gilbert is expected to retire for deliberations sometime today following the summation of the evidence in the case by presiding judge, Justice Alfred Redhead.

The accused are Sheldon ‘Hatcher’ Isaac, Romeo ‘Buncum’ Cannonier, who are both represented by Reginald W. James; Ruedeney ‘Denney’ Williams, who is represented by Jason Hamilton, and Louis ‘Tooloo’ Gardner, represented by Hesketh Benjamin. According to the indictment, they are accused of killing Gilbert on March 21, 2005, and sometime between November 2004 and March 21, 2005 conspired to have him killed.

According to the prosecution, Cannonier masterminded the plan and needed desperately to get rid of Gilbert, as he was a key witness in a case against him where he was charged with killing Police Constable Delvin Nisbett.

The case officially began last Wednesday with some 24 prosecution witnesses being called to take the stand, including Denney’s ex-girlfriend, Kimia Evelyn; Donell Stevens, Alvin Vasquez, Kimberly Gilbert, Steve Gilbert and Barbadian Forensic Pathologist, Dr. Stephen Jones.

Though there were no defence witnesses, two of the four accused, Cannonire and Williams, took the stand and maintained their innocence. They both claimed of not being involved in Gilbert’s death and Williams ardently expressed that up until his death, he and the deceased were “good friends”.

On Tuesday, after the prosecution and defence counsels closed their cases, closing arguments were presented where each reminded the jury of its duty to well and truly try the accused persons.

Head of the prosecution team, Sir Richard Cheltenham, asked to jury to draw from the evidence, reasonable inferences which point to the guilt of the accused. Defence counsels reminded the jury that it was their duty to have the men acquitted if they were in doubt and if the prosecution had failed to eliminate all reasonable doubt as to their guilt.

The jury is expected to retire for deliberations after Justice Redhead completes summing-up the evidence, which he began earlier today.